hear the army

Internet friend rings will be the death of me! Bebo, Mixi, Hiraganatimes, High5, MySpace, Yahoo, etc. There are just too many – and I have one at least one friend who is a member in each one so wants me to join!! Curious: how much time do you spend on these damn things? It’s leeching way too much of my time lately. I would like to keep up with my personal blog in English here, my personal pics site, and everything else – but I just don’t have the time; especially since I am trying to use the Japanese version of Friendster – Mixi. It is very cool but takes me FOREVER to figure out things – reading takes me probably 50x’s as long as reading in English and writing takes about 3x’s as long and usually still isn’t good…unless Isseki helps me – which I usually am too afraid to post unless he does! I motion for all of my friends to join Mixi (if you can speak Japanese) and/or one other English friend ring…which one do you vote for? Oh, and, of course check out my personal blog here…which I keep vowing to update…

In other news…I have applied to sit the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) on December 4th. I decided on Level 2 not because I am anywhere near the point where I can actually pass it but because should I take and pass Level 3 (which I could) it won’t do me any good. All jobs that look at Japanese language ability want a minimum of Level 2. So I figured what’s the difference in taking and passing level 3 than taking and failing level 2 – except on my delicate ego. There is always the fluke chance I could pass…

So, I try to study kanji everyday now but I think I’m trying to pack too many in at once (goal is 12/day but some days I just don’t have time) cause I can’t remember them a day or so thereafter. I think this is the most difficult thing I have every tried to learn – seriously. I have also re-enrolled in the YWCA language school for the fall term in hopes of it pushing my level to where I can pass. I am now a little above their A classes and a little below their B classes – so I’m going for B of course – but I currently can barely read the textbook (no English, only a little furigana)!! Class starts Oct. 7th so don’t expect to hear from me from then until Dec. 4th.

Life otherwise is full and good. I’m enjoying my newly cultivated social life and can usually talk someone into going to Isseki’s shows with me so I don’t have to be the loner wife of the bandman – gets kind of old. The only problem is I think they usually don’t wanna come back! Haha. Not many people are into the volume that these shows produce and while they all dig Isseki’s band – usually one or more of the other bands playing is too much for them. Last weekend I got 4 of my girlfriends to come with me!! The first 2 bands were trying their best at a version of Sex Pistols style punk – and only one of them were any good at it – by the beginning of the 2nd band all 4 of my friends had disappeared!! No joke. They returned by the time the band before Isseki’s (who I assured they would like better – more pop and palatable) and stuck it out but…I kinda felt bad.

I attended one of the craziest Japanese festivals to date – the Kishiwada Danjiri Festival and hope to post my pictures one day. Every single person in the area participates and they pull these huge shrines through the town in a race and demonstration of speed/strength. All the while the head carpenter is dancing and jumping around on the roof!! It’s mad. I didn’t see any accidents but heard 3 people died last year and it’s not an uncommon occurrence!! What a rush – to be on the corner of a street as they skidded the shrine around the bend with everyone from that part of town surrounding it, running, pulling, bumping into each other and bystanders. All to the beating of a drum and blowing of a whistle to keep time and the nostalgic sounding flute in the background. Intense.

Thanks again for reading my posts – and for sending me your comments and adventure stories! Until the next time…love and miss you all!